Sunday, September 3, 2006

Meanwhile in Palestine

9th - 16th of November 2006: 4th National & international week against THE APARTHEID WALL: As the ghetto walls close around our people, the voice of the Palestinian and Arab resistance continues to echo within the Bantustans and beyond. Like every year since bulldozers started to level our land for the Wall's path, the Week against the Apartheid Wall (November 9-16) will unite Palestinian communities struggling against the land grab and expulsion in mass protests.

'OCCUPATION TO BLAME' FOR FIRES DEVASTATING OLIVE GROVES IN THE WEST BANK: Hundreds of olive trees were destroyed yesterday by fires that broke out on Palestinian land cut off by the Apartheid Wall. The villages of Azun, Izbit Tabib and Nabi Ilyas lost several hundred dunums of land to the blaze, which local people suspect may have been started deliberately by Jewish settlers. Four hundred dunums were burnt in Azun alone.

Father, his five sons, taken prisoners in Hebron: Israeli soldiers invaded on Sunday at dawn the Al Fawwar refugee camp, near Hebron city in the southern part of the West Bank, and arrested a father and his five sons after surrounding their home, Palestinian News Agency, WAFA, reported.

Human rights group: Contempt for human life in Gaza: "On this matter there is total contempt for human life, even if the Palestinians are being forced to get used to the fact that citizens are dying because of shortages in drugs and treatment, or inappropriate treatment," he added. Bentwich accused the Israeli government's actions fall short of its claims that its policy is to alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Chief rabbis to visit Archbishop: It is hoped that the talks will also smooth over the relationship with the Church of England following their decision in February to disinvest in companies, such as Caterpillar Inc, whose products are used by the Israeli government. The vote in favor of divestment followed calls from the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem for "morally responsible investment in the Palestinian occupied territories" and to disinvest in companies, such as Caterpillar Inc.

One good man surrounded by 500 idle workers: "We will not surrender to the policy of starvation, and we agreed on a national unity government to bring about the removal of the siege on our people," said Abbas. He did not hesitate to level criticism at Hamas: "The firing of missiles [on Israel, A.I.] has only led to over 250 dead and wounded among the Palestinians. Who is responsible for that?

Independent Cabinet minister quits Hamas-led Palestinian government: Communications Minister Jamal Khodari informed a local news agency on Sunday that he resigned, but he refused to explain his reasons. Palestinian government spokesman Ghazi Hamad confirmed that Khodari handed in his resignation, but Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh had not accepted it.

Blair to visit here this week: The political source ventured that Blair would not propose during his visit to renew Israeli-Palestinian talks. "He won't suggest relinquishing the road map and entering talks with Hamas," the source said. "Such proposals would only anger the Americans."

Qatar Airways to defy Israeli blockade on Beirut: "We have asked for authorization from the Lebanese authorities and they have given it. Therefore flight QR 422 is going to go to Beirut," said the spokeswoman, who did not wish to be named. The spokeswoman said the three-hour flight from Doha was due to land in Beirut on Monday at 3:30 pm (1230 GMT).

Poll: Israelis believed Nasrallah over Peretz: The public perceived the enemy leader against whom we fought as having those characteristics, and waited impatiently for his speeches. Nasrallah contradicted the Israeli spokespeople more than once, many times contradicting the minister of defense.

Israel formally annexes 14% of northern Bethlehem: Israel has both effectively and officially overtaken northern Bethlehem, swallowing the entire Rachel's Tomb area. The process was slow enough, ongoing for the past two years, however it all occurred with very little fuss. Those that did protest were gassed, shot at, imprisoned, or ignored.

Fires behind Wall in northwestern West Bank destroy Palestinian farm land: "We were surprised to find a huge conflagration behind the apartheid wall. The Qalqilia Fire Department came and tried to put out the blaze which had already consumed nearly 434 dunums of land planted with fruiting olive trees." Civil Defense sources in Qalqilia reported to PNN, "Israeli soldiers did not warn firefighters or residents that they were mining the area.

Israeli forces attack Palestinians trying to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque: The troops fired live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas canisters and stun grenades. A bus driver from the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem was hit with a rubber bullet and a number of people suffered breathing difficulties as a result of inhaling the tear gas. Hundreds of worshippers were barred from entering the holy city.

Holy Land churches attack Christian Zionism: "The Christian Zionist programme provides a world view where the Gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism," said the declaration, accusing Christian Zionists of hurting hopes for Middle East peace. "We reject the teachings of Christian Zionism that facilitate and support these policies as they advance racial exclusivity and perpetual war," the declaration added.

Olive Picking Program 2006: For the fourth consecutive year, the Joint Advocacy Initiative of the East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine (JAI) is partnering the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) in organizing an Olive Picking Program in Palestine between the 26 th of October and 4 th of November, 2006. Now with the construction of the Separation Wall through rural villages, many farmers are separated from their lands.

Political prisoners preparing hunger strike in protest of Israeli prison conditions in West Bank: Israeli forces occupying western Jenin patrol a military area that includes a checkpoint, court and the prison. The Palestinians inside held a one day strike as a threat of more yet to come if the prison administration does not respond to their "just and legitimate" demands. A letter from political prisoners stated that at least 35 Palestinians are detained in inhumane conditions, deprived of their most basic rights and treated in a harsh and provocative manner.

Three Palestinians, including a father and his son, killed in the Gaza Strip: Palestinian medical and security sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Saturday morning that three Palestinians, including a 54 year-old father and his 27 year-old son were killed in Beit Hanoun and Al Qarara, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. A husband, his wife and their four children were injured in a separate attack.

Genocide in Gaza: A genocide is taking place in Gaza. This morning, 2 September, another three citizens of Gaza were killed and a whole family wounded in Beit Hanoun. This is the morning reap, before the end of day many more will be massacred. An average of eight Palestinian die daily in the Israeli attacks on the Strip. Most of them are children. Hundreds are maimed, wounded and paralyzed.

Palestine Prime Minister cleans garbage: When garbage men went on a strike in Gaza three days ago, garbage began to overflow in the streets. In order to encourage people to do the same, the Prime Minister took a broom in hand and cleaned the streets with volunteers.Italian FM: Hezbollah, Hamas are not al-Qaida: "Besides their well-known responsibilities for terrorist actions, they have a political side, they are engaged in assistance. ""IRA and ETA have become political movements from (being) terror groups," D'Alema said, referring to groups that have carried out terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland and in Spain. "We must encourage this metamorphosis in the Middle East," D'Alema said.

Gideon Levy: Just try to imagine : Two brothers. Their parents and siblings were all killed while they were sleeping. Only the brothers were saved from the inferno caused by two missiles dropped by a Israeli plane on their house in the middle of the night. Awad, 19, is seriously injured; Mohammed, 20, uninjured, tends him. Their parents and all seven of their younger siblings, including a disabled sister, were killed.